TRAIN IN TROUBE. Union Pacific Ties Down at Canyon.

🚂 TRAIN IN TROUBLE. Union Pacific Ties Down at Canyon | Cajon Pass Railroad Drama Something unusual was unfolding on Cajon Pass this morning, and by pure luck I was able to document the story from beginning to end. The day starts with Buddy on the bluff above the tracks wearing his new blue dog hoodie and helping supervise railroad operations. As the radio chatter begins, Buddy watches the Union Pacific manifest approaching below, unaware that the train would soon become the center of an unusual situation on the mountain. At approximately 8:16 AM, this Union Pacific manifest came down the Colton-Palmdale Cutoff after spending part of the morning sitting at Summit. Earlier in the day, I had heard radio traffic indicating the train would be brought down to Canyon Section, part of UP's Walker/Cajon territory stretching from Sullivan's Curve toward the Mormon Rocks area. As the train approached my location, it was gradually slowing and it was obvious something wasn't quite right. While monitoring the radio, I heard a mechanic speaking with the crew regarding tie-down procedures. Much of the conversation involved discussions about securing the train on the grade, references to Rule 34.3.2 involving stopping on a 2% grade, power handling, brake procedures, and determining how many cars would need to be tied down. Some of the technical details went beyond my railroad knowledge, but it was clear the crew was dealing with a situation that required the train to be secured before continuing. The train eventually came to a stop on the No. 2 track siding between Highway 138 and Sullivan's Curve. Thinking it might be there for quite a while, I continued my usual morning of railfanning around Cajon Pass, filming trains and enjoying the action. Hour after hour, the manifest remained parked in the Canyon area. As the day wore on and fatigue from an early morning in the field started catching up with me, I packed my gear and began heading out. But while driving near Highway 138, I happened to glance over and noticed movement where there had been none all morning. The train was finally rolling again. Without hesitation, I jumped onto Interstate 15, exited at Cleghorn, and made a beeline toward Swarthout Crossing several miles ahead of the train. The race was on. At approximately 12:56 PM, after sitting tied down for hours, the train finally appeared around the curve and descended the mountain toward my camera. From this close-up location near the famous San Andreas Fault, I was able to capture outstanding views of the massive consist working its way down Cajon Pass and continuing its journey. Power for this train consisted of: Head-End Power 🚂 UP 7704 🚂 UP 7099 🚂 UP 5404 Mid-Train DPUs 🚂 UP 7620 🚂 UP 8195 Rear DPU 🚂 UP 7883 The consist appeared to be approximately 161 cars long in a 4x2x1 locomotive configuration. One of the most interesting moments occurs around the 11:45 mark when a freight car passes by with thick gray smoke visible beneath the carbody. My personal guess is that the issue could have been related to a sticking or unreleased brake, but that is only speculation on my part. If you have railroad operating experience and can identify what may have been happening, please share your thoughts in the comments below. What makes this video unique is that it captures an entire railroad story as it unfolded in real time. From hearing radio conversations, witnessing the tie-down procedures, watching the train sit for hours in Canyon, and then relocating in time to catch the train back in motion, this became much more than a simple train video. It became a rare look at railroad operations, troubleshooting, and problem-solving on one of America's most famous mountain railroads. 🐾 Buddy fans: Keep an eye out for Buddy in his new blue dog hoodie during the opening scenes. He was already on duty, watching the train from the bluff as the radio chatter and mystery began to unfold. Thank you for joining me trackside on Cajon Pass. If you enjoy Union Pacific action, railroad operations, distributed power, mountain railroading, radio communications, and real-world railroad drama, be sure to subscribe and come back for more adventures from the Pass. 🚂 Location: Cajon Pass, California 🚂 Territory: Union Pacific Canyon Section 🚂 Power: 7704, 7099, 5404 / 7620, 8195 / 7883 🚂 Approx. Length: 161 Cars 🚂 Filmed Near: Swarthout Crossing & San Andreas Fault 🐾 Special Appearance: Buddy in his new blue hoodie #UnionPacific #CajonPass #Railfan #FreightTrain #UPRR #TrainInTrouble #RailroadOperations #DistributedPower #MountainRailroading #SwarthoutCrossing #TrainChasing #RailroadRadio #TrainVideo #CaliforniaTrains #CPRailfanTV